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Mixed Media Canvas

After two weeks of making flowers and cards and occasionally battling with my first canvas in over six years – WE HAVE LIFT OFF!

The first big breakthrough came when I could finally admit I had bitten off more than I could chew and that it actually was okay to walk away from it …….. that took ten days to get to.

I had rashly committed to a canvas measuring 600 x 500 mm [23 1/2 x 19 1/2″] – it seemed quite small at the time considering that I routinely painted on 1000 x 800 mm back in the day….

What I was not considering was that I had changed mediums and styles – I used to work with acrylics and the odd bit of charcoal and pen and create giant imaginary land and seascapes – this would be my first canvas as a ‘multi-medium artist’ [Oh, giggle – it makes me so happy to think I might be an ‘artist’…. 🙂 ] Up until now when mixing my mediums, I had worked in my journal and on card size pieces only.

Having purchased and read Kelly Rae Roberts marvalous book ‘Taking Flight‘ and having checked out Willowing [Tamara Laporte’s] work on You Tube, I felt ready to give this thing a proper go……

Yesterday I got out a small canvas 300mm sq [11 1/2″] and set about collaging in the background. I used mostly ‘Websters Pages’ and added in some text from old books.

I painted over the whole thing with a brayer, removed some colour and added green distress inks around the edges of the torn pages and the edge of the canvas.

I sketched in the face and coloured it lightly with some distress inks:

…..and went to bed.

This morning I worked on it some more:

My confidence grew as I avoided all the idiotic pitfalls I could have fallen into and I didn’t screw up too badly….

So of course I kept at it- adding in Lumiere ‘True Gold’ around the sides of the canvas and pulling it into the front of the canvas as opportunity presented itself. I highlighted raised bits and edges of torn paper too. And if a little is good, more is better – right? I added gold highlights to her hair so it glimmers in the light – too much?

Finally I edged and highlighted with black charcoal:

Time to stop – so, of course, I kept going….

I added in the legend for that special someone and then the butterflies.

Here is the finished canvas:

I’ve chopped 2 – 3 cm off the top of the canvas somehow when taking the photo….. but you get the idea.

And some detail photos:

That’s my first Christmas gift made and it is still October – well for another 24 hours anyway ….. onwards and upwards!

Thank you Anne, I’m really happy to hear this – you never know when you create something if others will ‘get’ it [as you well know] – we artiste’s are so insecure! 🙂 Thanks for your kind words again xx

She is for my eldest daughter who sometimes has eyes that colour – depending on the weather and who also is so busy caring for everyone else and thinking she should be doing more – I just want her to look at this thought every day.

I’m really enjoying working in this format and am half way through another one for youngest daughter. 🙂

As they say across the pond, yet somewhere’s between you and I, “I am gob-smacked” !!! I just adore her Pauline 😀 You definitely ARE an artist and I so love your style. I always wondered what came first, the process of making these mixed media works. Thank you for walking us thru and in such a funny way. I laughed out loud at, ‘time to stop…so naturally I kept going’…bahhaa, I’ve been there too 😀 Her eyes are so sparkly and such a pretty colour. The lucky recipient will be over the moon. How can you wait for Christmas to give it? Might you consider an Etsy shop?

Now who is giving who a big head?? I am so glad you like her – it’s the first painting I have done in years that I am happy with 🙂 It’s for my ED for Christmas [shhh] her eyes are that colour sometimes – just beautiful!

It’s funny you should say that – I am thinking about an Etsy shop ……. not sure yet….. must do more research….